Fashion Moments: The Dream Shoe

The Christian Louboutin Clou Noeud shoe. Barneys can get them in black and in my size, and can ship them overnight...

I am supposed to be on holiday but I have had such an emotional shoe experience, it was essential that I share it with you, in hopes that someone will talk some sense into me, and reassure me that NOT buying the shoes is the best decision.

I am on holiday and my mother and I went shopping in the mall in Scottsdale yesterday. No need to talk about the joys of an Anthropologie or a J Crew, I am sure you will all share the sadness I suffer that these stores do not exist in Vancouver. I went into Barneys to look at the shoe department. There were some amazing shoes in the sale. I decided to try on three pairs (a Proenza Schouler, a Balenciaga, and a Christian Louboutin.) But then…THE shoes caught my eye.

On the new season Christian Louboutin rack, there was a pair of pink shoes. The closest thing I had ever seen to the amazing Rodarte shoes Louboutin did a few seasons back, the ones that I have mentioned several times. If there was one pair of shoes in the world that I felt I needed, that would make my collection complete, it would have been those. And there I was, face to face with a similar pair. Not as many studs, and with a bow, and in a skin tone pink. But nevertheless, studded, and VERY high.

The guy looking at them told me “hands off” because he was buying them for the women in his life. But I didn’t want them. I said, do you have these in black? The sales guy, the wonderful Niles, told me “they are coming in black very soon.” So I asked to try them on, and whether they would ship. He said yes.

While he got the pink pair in my size (to try on, just to check the size. And by the way, those were already taken, on hold for someone.) I started to formulate my plan. I would have them shipped to my friend in Seattle, to avoid the duty. She could bring them up to Vancouver on her next visit. My husband would be a bit surprised, but he would get over it. They were the missing link in my shoe life. But the price tag was well into the four digits, in fact, only a two hundred dollars short of the price tag I paid for the flights AND the four nights in a five star hotel in Scottsdale for my mother and I.

He brought the pink ones over. They were HIGH. But fabulous. They fit, and made my legs look like a million dollars. I told him to call me when he found a black pair in my size. Then we hit the rest of the mall. And then the emotional roller coaster began.

First, I was adamant that they were THE shoes, and I had to have them. My mother couldn’t argue with me, she was still suffering of shock over the price tag. I went through an hour of confidence. They WOULD be mine. Then I texted my husband. “If it is your dream shoe, I guess you have to have it.” He is so nice. But he hadn’t seen the price.

Two hours later after shoe sighting, I called my husband. My husband is the best person in the world to talk me out of buying a pair of shoes. How does he do it? He says, “well, if you have to have them, get them.” The guilt associated with that comment, and the fact that he won’t tell me not to buy the shoes, is enough to talk me out of it straight away. I feel terrible. I mean, why should I have those shoes, when he doesn’t even have a smartphone?

We chatted for a few minutes. Then he started to sound doubtful. “It is a lot of money.” By then, the guilt had kicked in. I had to say no.

Of course now my holiday has been consumed by the shoes. I prayed to god that Niles from Barney’s wouldn’t call me. I had indicated that if there was a pair in the USA on Monday, they could have them shipped to my hotel room before I leave on Wednesday. And now I was living in fear of having to make the decision. If he coulnd’t find them, then I couldn’t have them, and there was no decision to make.

Meanwhile, my husband texted me and said, “It’s not a good idea.” How could I go against his wishes, when he has NEVER said no to a pair of shoes before? The D&G shoes: “They are really nice, honey.” The five pairs of Finsk shoes (bought on the same day): “well, you are helping a young designer.” The YSL and Dries double whammy: “It is true you haven’t bought shoes in ages.”

So it was settled, I had to say no. And now, it was the waiting game. Please god, Niles, don’t call me and tell me that you can overnight the shoes to me. Don’t make me have to say no.

I got back to the hotel room this morning after my morning swim, and there was a message on the phone. I checked it, a nervous wreck. It was the hotel PR, arranging to meet me this afternoon. Thank god. Then over lunch, my cell phone rang. I missed the call. It was Barneys. He said he could get the shoes. My heart sank.

But my husband had spoken. And I couldn’t go against his wishes, since he has always been reasonable. And do I really need those shoes? Really? No. Of course I don’t need another pair of shoes for the rest of my life. But I can buy three pairs of beautiful shoes for the price of those Louboutins. And I can buy my husband an iphone. And I can buy a new set of frames. And there are tons of great shoes out there, that cost less than a holiday and are still luxury and fabulous.

I called Niles and told him I had to pass. He was very kind and laughed when I explained to him that the husband had said no. But I know the shoes are still available. And theoretically, I still have 24 hours to decide . I could still have them shipped from Chicago tomorrow, to arrive at the hotel before we leave Wednesday afternoon. But they are not worth it, right?

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Seriously! When I read this, this is exactly what I go through on a regular basis, though the items I covet are not as highly priced as these beauties. But they're Louboutin's! Forgive me for being the evil here Alexandra, but I love by this quote, “You can always earn more money, but you can't mend the “regret” that you feel when you think back about what you should've/could've/must've bought.”

😛

mandana

three things that might help:

1. you should refuse in protest…why do the shoes keep going higher in price. it's ridiculous. i saw a Louboutin that was 4000 or something crazy like that. i mean, come on.

2. my 2 rules for buying shoes have always been (since i bought my very first-then-expensive 400dollar pair in high school are: if you have to think about it…that's a no. And, if you wear it 2000 times, that's only 1 dollar a day. which is a steal.

good luck.

Prince

Okay seriously, if you have to think about a shoe that much, you need to get them. That's is how i decide whether i need to have something, like my Hermes shoes.

I mean of course you don't want to go against your husband wishes (thankfully i dont have to go through that), but you will always regret the fact you didn't get them.

anyhow… Best solution, get the shoes, come home, and get the husband the new iPhone,or iPad.

Meg

Buy buy buy! If not for yourself, then for us poor broke students who are forced to put our shoe dreams on hold!

alexandrasuhnerisenberg

Thanks everyone, but I think I am going to give them a miss. Prince, I love the idea of buying the shoes AND the iphone, but as my mother says, that is about 5 square feet in my future home, or another 5 star vacation WITH the husband in September.Alex, I love your quote, and I completely agree with it… but I am also going to agree with Mandana on this one. The shoes ARE too expensive. Ten years ago, 400 dollars would get you a great pair of Prada shoes. Nowaways it is double the price. That is way beyond the cost of inflation, so I am going to take a stand. Instead, I am going to get excited about the 3 pairs of AW Finsk shoes arriving soon, and maybe buy myself a pair of Heavy Machine shoes too.Meg, don't put your shoe dreams on hold. That is what student loans are for.

Paige

Alexandra, I think you made the right choice. True, they may have brightened your life, but now you have a much better story. If this were a shoe romance, the Louboutins would be the enigmatic, beautiful, but emotionally (or in this case, financially) unavailable heartthrob. Sometimes a girl's gotta be pragmatic about such things…. especially when there's an understanding, shoe-aholic sympathizer husband involved. Cherish the Louboutin fling and put it in the memory bank. Besides…. there's always next season!

alexandrasuhnerisenberg

Thanks for your insightful comment post Paige. I have contacted Holt Renfrew. They may get the shoe in. If they do, I'll try them on again, and if the love is still there, I may go for it. But if not, it just wasn't meant to be.

It's great to order from this site as a Canadian because all taxes and duty are included in the price when you check out. There are no surprises from your FedEx delivery.

alexandrasuhnerisenberg

Thanks Shelley. I actually found a pair in Canada, in fact, I had them on hold at Holt Renfrew until earlier today. I decided against it for two reasons, the first, they are way too expensive. I'd rather spend 2 grand on a handbag, that I can use every day for two years, instead of $1300 on a pair of shoes I'll wear once a year. Secondly, they are far too widely available. When I first saw them at Barneys, I assumed they'd have pretty limited availability. But they seem to be in abundance, which means they are less exclusive than I had hoped, and therefore definitely not worth the high price tag.I'll probably regret this like crazy…

alexandrasuhnerisenberg

pursuitofshoes.com did a post on these shoes, and it said “Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Heidi Klum have all been spotted in these rockin' platforms!” Enough said! I DO NOT want the same shoes as Kim Kardashian!